The isolated Dang Ha find happiness in simplicity and the sea
19:23 04/03/2009

      Xuan Dung Village is home to the Dang Ha ethnic minority. There are 10 households with 100 inhabitants in the village.

They have been cut off from modern life until quite recently when the village became familiar to the tourist industry.

Despite its remote location and difficult accessibility 100 km north of Nha Trang, visitors are arriving with increased frequency to learn about the simple life of the Dang Ha.

After resettling in the region from the mountains, the Dang Ha built log houses and sustained themselves by growing vegetables, making charcoal, and catching fish.

They sometimes ventured into civilization to sell products and buy necessities for their lives.

During the war with America the village of Xuan Dung became unsafe and many villagers moved to other places, leaving the village deserted.

After the country was united in 1975, seven of the former households returned to Xuan Dung.

They rebuilt their houses and continued to live as they had before the violent interruption.

However, not everything was the same.

Some of the Dang Ha married members of the Kinh (Viet) ethnic group to create a young generation of ethnically mixed Dang Ha people.

Tran Thi Mia, whose skin has been scorched by years of work in the sun, is one of the eldest villagers at 75.

She recalled the days when the Dang Ha’s returned to Xuan Dung after 1975.

“The village was devastated. But I had to return because I love this region.”

To help the Xuan Dung villagers make a living after the government prohibited deforestation, the local authority built a brick house for each household and gave every family 40 breeding lobsters.

The efforts became fruitful and even brought about the return of four more Dang Ha households.

Nguyen Sau, the aged husband of Tran Thi Mia, added, “I love the simple and peaceful life here. I can earn a decent living by catching squids or shellfish.”

The only way to get to Xuan Dung is by boat.

From Nha Trang, one can rent a boat to reach Xuan Dung and visit a number of the islands in Van Phong Bay such as Hon Lon and Bai Lach.

Once in the village visitors can buy fresh squid, fish, shrimp, and lobster at half the price of the city markets.

The villagers are happy to prepare seafood dishes for visitors who buy their catch.

Reported by Khue Viet Truong

Source : thanhniennews.com